2015 JULY WEEK THREE LESSON

SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 19, 2015.

WEEK 29

UNDERSTANDING PRE-MARITAL RELATIONSHIP (Courtship)

Main Text: Genesis 29:15-21

Memory Verse: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31).

Introduction

The word ‘courtship’ is generally defined as the period during which a prospective couple develop a romantic relationship before getting married. Though the concept of courtship is in the Bible, it does not carry the same understanding as it is today. The concept as it is in the Bible refers to the period between a proposal made to marry each other and the time of engagement (traditional marriage) or marriage (by ordinance or law) devoid of any sexual relationship. Thus, in order to avoid the confusion of the term, we will prefer to use Premarital Relationship in the following studies. Other relationships between opposite sexes without a marital proposal could be designated Friendship. In today’s passage, we will learn about the pre-marital relationship between Jacob and Rachel.

Discussion Questions

1. Why did Jacob choose to marry Rachel? verse 17-18

2. For how long did their pre-marital relationship last? verse 20

3. Why did their pre-marital relationship last that long? Verse 15, 20.

4. From the passage, who were aware of their premarital relationship?

5. According to verse 21, was there any sexual relationship between them?

6. What lessons do you learn from the above passage about pre-marital relationship?

Conclusion

In the text above Jacob met Rachel and desired to marry her. He even informed Laban, the father of Rachel of his intention to marry his daughter Rachel, but did not have her as a wife immediately, though they all lived in the same vicinity. That period between his “proposal” to marry Rachel up to the seven years period when he took her as a wife is what is called pre-marital relationship. The Bible endorses any decent relationship between prospective couples and affirms any relationship prior to marriage that gives due reverence God, especially one that has the consent of the concerned families and the church and would be free from sex.

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